This invention relates to computers, and more particularly, to a computer based-list editor that allows a computer user to enter and arrange a collection of information items.
A computer user, such as a software developer, can often find it useful to selectively arrange a collection of information items for later use. For example, the user may wish to enter a list of text commands and place those commands in a selected order prior to execution of the commands by an application program. As another example, a software developer about to run a process in the Unix operating system may wish to selectively arrange a list of statements that specify the environment for the process. After being arranged, the collection of information items, which in both of the forgoing examples is a list of text statements, is typically exported from the list editor that created or rearranged the collection, such as to the application program for immediate processing, to data storage, or to both.
Often, the developer is mainly concerned with the development of a particular application program, and as an aside will write his or her own highly customized list editor for use with the application program being developed. Accordingly, one who uses application programs developed by different developers can be confronted with list editor that are not consistent in their behavior. Different list editor may provide confusingly different graphical user interfaces that locate input controls in different areas of the graphed use interface presented to the user. One graphical user interface may provide advanced functions, not required or appropriate for all uses of the application program, whereas the graphical user interface of another list editor may be too simple. Such inconsistencies can be confusing and lead to errors, particularly on the part of less experienced users. The user may even be tempted to rewrite portions of the list editor.
Furthermore, the author of the list editor may have written the program rather quickly, such that it is not fully de-bugged, such that under certain circumstances the list editor can interfere with the proper operation of the application program and/or vice versa. For example, the list editor may provide access for the application program such that the application program can modify the selected arrangement of the collection of information items. Providing such access can be problematic, in that one modifying the application program may unknowingly make changes that cause the application program to, under certain circumstances, modify the arrangement of the collection, unbeknownst to the user of the list editor program.
As noted above, the list editor can export the collection of information items, such as a list of commands, to an application program for subsequent processing. Should one or more of the commands have been entered incorrectly or otherwise be invalid, an error message will appear during subsequent processing of the commands and execution may be halted. Even worse, the application can simply xe2x80x9cbombxe2x80x9d without conveying any meaningful error message to the user. In such circumstances, assuming the user is lead to consider that the collection of information items has caused the problem, the user must recall the list editor, re-edit the collection of information items, and re-export the whole collection for another try at processing by the application program. Unfortunately, this whole process of recalling, re-editing and re-exporting may have to be repeated. Such repetition can be wasteful and time consuming.
The present invention can provide a list editor component, typically stored on a computer readable memory apparatus, for allowing a computer user to arrange a collection of information items. The list editor component can include the following: instructions for displaying an editor window to the computer user, where the editor window includes a visual representation of a selected arrangement of the information items of the collection; instructions for receiving specification from the computer user of a new information item to be added to the collection of information items; and instructions for seeking validation of the new information item prior to adding the new information item to the collection of information items or to exporting the new information item with other information items of the collection to an application program for use thereby.
In seeking a validation of the new information item, the list editor component can communicate with the application program, such communication including receiving status information from the application program indicating whether the new information item is valid. If the status information indicates that the new information item is not valid, the list editor component can include provision for preventing the new information item from being added to the collection of information items of the list editor component.
Seeking validation can also include communicating, responsive to the receipt of a command, or instruction, from the user to add the new information item to the collection of information items, information representative of the new information to the application program, such that the application program can validate the new information item.
The present invention can also include a list editor component for allowing a computer user to arrange a collection of information items. The list editor component can include instructions for displaying, responsive to a call from an application program, an editor window to the computer user, where the editor window includes a visual representation of a selected arrangement of the information items of the collection. The list editor component can also include instructions for receiving specification from the computer user of a new information item to be added to the collection of information items, as well as instructions for, responsive to receiving an export instruction from the computer user, exporting information items of the collection to the application program for use thereby. The application program is not allowed access to the list editor component so as to be able to vary selected arrangement of the information items of the collection or, alternatively or additionally, the location of import controls of the editor window.
The invention can also provide a computer graphical user interface for a list editor component that allows a computer user to selectively arrange information items. The graphical user interface includes an editor window, where the editor window is displayable with at least one other display window representing another graphical user interface; an entry field area provided within the editor window and within which a computer user can specify a new information item to be added to the collection of information items; and a display field area within which there is displayed a representation of a selected arrangement of information items of the collection of information items. The display field area is located below the entry field area.
The graphical user interface can also include various input controls to the user, such as an ADD input control for receiving user instruction to add the new information item to the collection of information items, and can allow selection of an information item or items of the collection of information items with the pointing and selecting device. A MOVE input control can be provided for moving the selected information items in the collection of information items, and a delete input control provided for deleting the selected information items.
The ADD input control can be located to the right of the entry and display field areas and substantially aligned horizontally with the entry field area; the delete input control located below the ADD input control and to the right of the entry field and display field areas, and the MOVE input control can be located below the ADD input control and, accordingly, also to the right of the entry and display field areas.
The graphical user interface can be called by an application program, and in response to being called, the editor window displayed to the computer user. Although the graphical user interface can allow the application program to receive information items of the collection, it can refrain from allowing the application program to vary the selected arrangement of the collection of information items and/or does not allow the application program to vary the location of the input controls and field areas in the editor window.
The invention can also include methods practiced in accordance with the teachings herein.
For example, the invention can provided a computer method for allowing a computer user to edit a collection of information items. The computer method can include the steps of displaying an editor window to a computer user, where the editor window includes a visual representation of a selected arrangement of the information items of the collection of information items; receiving specification from the computer user of a new information item to be added to the collection of information items; and seeking validation of the new information item prior to adding the new information item to the collection of information items or exporting, responsive to an export command received from the application program, the new information item with other information items of the collection to the application program for use thereby.
Furthermore, the present invention can provide a computer method for allowing a computer user to edit a collection of information items. The computer method can include the steps of displaying responsive to a call from an application program, an editor window to a computer user where the editor window includes a visual representation of a selected arrangement of the information items of the collection of information items; receiving specification from the computer user of a new information item to be added to the collection of information items; receiving an export command from the computer user and, responsive thereto, for exporting information items of the collection to the application program for use thereby. In one practice, the list editor component does not allow any application program to access the list editor component so as to be able to vary the selected arrangement of the collection of information items of the list editor component, or, for example, the location of input controls or field areas provided by list editor component in the editor window.
Other features and objects of the present invention will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in light of the disclosure herein.